Lawsuit Filed After Missouri Casino Petition RejectedBackers Claimed 2,500 Signatures Inappropriately Left Out |
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After Missouri state officials recently rejected a petition effort to allow voters to decide on the possibility of a casino at the Lake of the Ozarks, backers of the plan filed a lawsuit last week arguing that they indeed collected enough.
The Osage River Gaming & Convention Committee is seeking to have the Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft’s® ruling on the issue overturned. Ashcroft’s office ruled that the petition lacked 2,031 signatures needed in the 2nd Congressional District.
Disagreement Over Acceptable Signatures
To get on the ballot, a petition must include signatures from 8% of legal voters in each of two-thirds of the state’s eight congressional districts. Backers obtained enough in the other districts, according to the secretary of state’s office.
However, Osage River Gaming alleged that 2,500 signatures were rejected in the district that should have been accepted.
“Verifying every signature on multiple initiative petitions this summer has been a very long process for election officials and we realize mistakes happen,” the group noted in a statement. “However, (Osage River Gaming & Convention) has always been confident their initiative petition contained a sufficient number of valid signatures from legal voters to qualify for placement on the Nov. 5 general election ballot and are now asking the court to do so.”
The casino plan is backed by Bally’s Corp. and local real estate developer Gary Prewitt. The two have spent $2.1 million spearheading the casino push. Supporters say the casino would generate as many as 800 jobs and considerable tax revenue to the state and area, which is one of Missouri’s top tourist destinations.
The Missouri constitution currently only allows casinos only along the Missouri and Mississippi rivers and limits the state to 13 casinos. While the casino petition was rejected, a petition that would legalize sports betting was approved and voters will weigh in on that issue in November.
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